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Twinsburg board outlines proposed 1.25% earned-income tax and recent cost-saving measures
Summary
Board members reviewed a proposed 1.25% resident earned-income tax estimated to raise about $12 million for operations, and district staff described cost-saving steps including 36 FTE reductions and $1.7M in annual wage savings plus grant and investment revenues.
Twinsburg City School officials detailed a proposed 1.25% resident earned-income tax on the May ballot and reviewed recent fiscal measures the district has taken to reduce costs and shore up operating revenue.
The board said the proposed levy is a resident earned-income tax that would not apply to non-earned income such as pensions or Social Security and is not a municipal income tax. "It is a 1.25 earned income tax to generate approximately $12 million for the district," the board stated during its presentation.
Treasury and finance updates: Julia told the board the district has pursued multiple levers to manage finances, including levy renewals (a renewal in November 2022 and a new levy in November 2023), a voluntary retirement-incentive program, and direct staffing reductions. The district reduced 36 full-time-equivalent positions beginning with fiscal year 2024, which Julia said lowered wages by about $1.7 million annually. The district also reported additional planned attrition reductions and further cuts to purchase services and contracted expenditures.
Grants and investment earnings: Julia listed several grants and reimbursements the district pursued, including safety and technology grants and other teacher/staff grants that totaled about $1,955,884 across recent years. She reported investment earnings of approximately $3,764,659 across multiple recent fiscal years; when added to grants and reimbursements the district reported combined funds of about $5,720,543.
Board emphasis on funding distinction: Board members and staff repeatedly clarified that planned capital projects such as the stadium turf and track replacement will be paid from permanent improvement funds, not the general fund, and therefore are separate from the operating levy being discussed.
Personnel actions: The agenda included and the board approved certified licensed personnel reductions and a recall list; administrators said reductions were part of projections that helped eliminate an FY28 deficit in the forecast.
Direct quote: Julia said, "We are not in fiscal emergency. We are not in fiscal caution," while describing the district's ongoing fiscal work and steps already taken.
What comes next: The board said the earned-income tax question will appear on the May ballot; the district urged community members to seek full information through district materials. The board did not provide new vote totals or campaign materials during the meeting.
